Running faster or farther: What’s better for your fitness and weight loss goals?

Eating healthy is an integral part of a good lifestyle, but you are going to miss out on a LOT, if you skip exercise. Of course, there are various kinds of exercises to choose from, but running is a favourite, apart from walking, for many. That’s also because you can do these exercises at any point, without any equipment. And they contribute to weight loss! But if you are a runner, you may have wondered what’s better: the speed or distance?

Well, that’s what we will aim to understand. To know more about this, Health Shots got in touch with Siddhesh Vojhala, Advance Coach, Fitness and Nutrition at Fittr. Here’s what he says, “Among other forms, running and walking are considered to be a great way to maintain an active lifestyle. It is important to note that every individual has different fitness levels. Different people have different fitness goals, where some people want to run marathons, some prepare for a race, and some just want to lose fat. Based on the end goal of the individual, they can choose whether you would want to run faster and farther.”

Will running faster or farther help more?

If someone is preparing to run a marathon, going farther is important. But for someone who wants to participate in a race, running faster is helpful. However, if someone wants to lose the extra fat, both forms of running will help, where the duration and the amount of work done will determine how many calories you are going to burn, says Vojhala.

“It is important to note that weight loss does not happen solely with bringing running into your regime. One needs to add a bit of weight training and couple it with the right nutrition, which will help with weight loss. Running, however, is a form of fitness routine which helps to fasten the process of burning calories and can play a role in one’s weight loss journey,” he adds.

How can running help with weight loss?

It is crucial to keep in mind that if your goal is weight loss, running will help you increase the step count. Maintain a sustainable step count in a day. Keep a step count goal, and frequent it with running, walking which helps to stay active through the day.

“The benefits of any exercise, especially running and walking, are equal for both men and women. If we go by an industry study, running and walking are associated with reducing mortality rate among individuals,” adds Vojhala.

Also Read: Meet Sufiya Khan, who gave up her job, took up running, and created world record

Discipline is the keyword in starting and eventually sticking to a fitness regime. This holds true for running as well. In order to make it a habit, it is essential to start slow. It is easy to inculcate running as a habit regularly. “If one does not have a busy schedule, you can just find time for walking and running anytime of the day. You can also devote and schedule some time during the day for walking / running,” advises Vojhala.

For someone who is just beginning an exercise regime, starting with brisk walks for a certain duration is more beneficial. You can then slowly increase to running farther or faster.